Gleason: Knights officially turn program around

Thursday

Mar 7, 2013 at 2:00 AM

WEST POINT — The coach and the players were only remotely interested in reciting the historical significance of Army's win. The Black Knights had another huge game to play, the semifinals of the Patriot League tournament, in less than 72 hours.

Kevin Gleason

WEST POINT — The coach and the players were only remotely interested in reciting the historical significance of Army's win. The Black Knights had another huge game to play, the semifinals of the Patriot League tournament, in less than 72 hours.

They were acting like coaches and players. They weren't looking too far behind, or too far ahead.

But there was no understating Army's 65-44 victory over American. Anyone who has modestly followed Army across the past three decades knows the meaning of this win. Anyone who has watched season after season of sub-par records knows. Anyone who has seen high-level college coaches fail here knows.

Army officially turned around its program on Wednesday night.

For 27 years, the Black Knights failed to finish a season with at least one more win on the left side of its record. That streak ended before an announced crowd of 1,026 and a sparkling Army team that led by 30 points midway through the second half.

"It definitely means a lot to this program,'' forward Ella Ellis said after another terrific performance with 16 points and six rebounds. "It's definitely going to be something neat to look back on. Yeah, this is a big deal.''

Army (16-14) beat American for the third time this season, a program that used to regularly abuse the Knights. Not this season.

Not on this night, when more than the 300 or so cadets who showed up owed it to these players to make their way to Christl.

But the win takes on greater significance when viewing the league tournament stage taken up by a bunch of freshmen performers. Army once more started at least three freshmen — four this game — and unleashed a brilliant first-half clinic. By the time American staggered to the locker room, it trailed 39-20 while getting burned by 8-for-13 shooting from beyond the 3-point line.

"I don't think anybody should be surprised,'' American coach Jeff Jones said. "They haven't played like freshmen all year long. Clearly, it's a hungry team.''

Credit head coach Zach Spiker and his staff for not only recruiting an immensely talented freshmen class, but retaining them after a year together at the U.S. Military Academy Prep School. There is a long list of Army coaches who recruited terrific players only to lose them somewhere between the prep school and junior season at West Point, the academic year when a cadet's post-graduate military commitment kicks in.

"This win means a lot for our guys and our program,'' Spiker said. "This win represents a lot for anyone who has ever played here and anyone who has ever worked on the staff — assistant coaches, head coaches, the administration staff. I think there will be a time and place to really celebrate this. Right now, we won a first-round game against one of the most consistent league teams in the last 10 seasons.''

Army plays hard. But that's where the similarities between this Army team and most of the past 30 teams end. The Knights consistently shoot well and can break open games, as they did on Wednesday, by hitting 3-pointers. These Black Knights rarely rattle and always believe.

"I just think this group is willing to get better every day,'' Spiker said.

Army plays the league's best team, Bucknell, on Saturday. Asked about losing twice this season to Bucknell, Ellis said, "We owe them.''

It was said more evenly than arrogantly. Army paid off an enormous debt on Wednesday night. The Black Knights know they are good.